Minor League Daily Update: Thursday

Andrew Cashner of the Cubs had two excellent starts this past week racking up 20 K’s vs. only 2 BB.  He is in AA and may push for some time at AAA or even a few innings in Chicago if he keeps racking up the strikeouts.  The Yankee’s Andrew Brackman picked up 2 losses with allowing 13 runs in only 8 IP.  Brackman is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery as he went 2-12 in 19 starts last year.

Aaron Proreda has appeared in a couple of games in relief as has Daniel Schlereth – both need to get control issues figured out to move up.  I am a fan of both Erbe and Minor – they should both be spending most of their time in the upper levels of the minor leagues (Erbe – AAA, Minor – AA) and can make some abbreviated showings with the big clubs later in the year out of the bullpen.

Fernando Martinez had an excellent spring and is getting off a little slowly in AAA.  Expect him to get some more time with the big club this year.  He is still extremely young but his biggest knock is that he can’t stay healthy – nagging injuries always taking away significant games and AB’s each year.  I would personally keep him in AAA all year in hopes that some kind of stability (appeared in at least two levels of minor leagues each professional year) may also help his health.

Weglarz and Anderson have started hot.  Anderson has something to prove this year after not performing up to expectations last year.  He broke through in the power department in 2008 but couldn’t keep it up in 2009.  Which is the real Lars Anderson?  Weglarz is also hoping to improve on last year but he was much more even than Lars.  Weglarz has good plate discipline and is a big guy so the power looks to be something that will develop.

Triuenfel, Conger and Reddick have all started slowly.  All can be waited on to develop and the first week of the season should not in any way point toward impending doom… a month down the road we will see if doom is imminent.

Tomorrow we will re-visit the Friday group of players and see what they have been up to.  Bumgarner has had another terrible start and everyone should be asking some tough questions about what is wrong and how things can get fixed.  I was hesitant to say there was an underlying injury but its starting to get harder and harder to not think there is something more than just over-use or mechanics giving him trouble.  More on that tomorrow.

Comments and questions are welcome.  There will also be a post coming up with injured players listed as there are some significant prospects yet to debut:  Desmond Jennings, Tim Beckham, and Matt Gamel to name a few.